I was sexually abused by my stepfather. My mother met him when I was two years old I remember nothing from my childhood before the 7th grade. I told my mother what happened I don’t know if she ever believed

I was on an overseas adventure with a male friend. We were jetlagged after 32hrs in transit and were just going for one drink before having an early night. One drink turned in to many drinks at a fun, relaxed,

I was gang raped by six University of Kansas football players in November 1998. When I was leaving my friend’s apartment on the sixth floor, I exited the elevator, and there was D, from Austin, TX. D was someone I

What happened! {I changed all the names.} Friday night, no plans, quite night. I get a text from my friend, Hannah. “Come out to the bar tonight!” I get super excited. I reply yes in a matter of seconds. Next

I don’t know where to begin…Have you ever remembered something from years ago, but your memories are fractured, like a movie with deleted scenes? That’s how it is for me. Serving in the military was always a dream for me,

It has now been almost a year since it happened. As the year mark creeps closer, the memories of that night and the following day flood my mind. I don’t even know what happened. Some would say it’s my own

My parents divorced when I was probably about 6 years old, and my brother, Bryan, and I were stuck with my mother. I would learn several years later in life that our father did try to get custody multiple times,

Hello, my names Jessica and I’m an addict. I’m 19 years old and struggling with PTSD and bipolar disorder, as well as the urge not to use any drugs. Me, 7 months ago: There isn’t a certain drug I’d consider

Drink one. Drink two. Drink seven. Alcohol can create blur lines for yourself, and eventually, put you in a place of darkness. One minute you’re standing there with your friends having a good time, the next minute you’re waking up

You have to connect to the ground, and open your heart, to create space, and stand in integrity, to speak your truth. This is a story about healing….my ongoing journey to heal from what was an unspeakable trauma. My hope

I was raped by a Fraternity man who I was actually very close friends with. I knew the majority of the men in the Frat and had spent every day with them for months. I considered them to be some of my closest friends. I had told this one particular man that I did not ever plan on hooking up with him.

In the light of morning, with a pounding head and dry mouth, I woke to find a hand touching me. I rolled over to find a man who was only vaguely familiar, but definitely not someone I knew. I didn’t even know his first name, let alone his last.

Now I had new nightmares; it wasn’t just him touching me, him hitting, punching, kicking, whipping, wasn’t just him putting things inside me, tying me so I wouldn’t move. There were others. And he would tell them where to hit me, when and where to touch me, what to put inside me.

e knew what he did and he knew it wasn’t okay. Worst of all is I blamed myself and I still do for not knowing how it all happened, how my clothes came off, how I allowed my rebellion to lead me there, did he even use protection!?

Once he told me, I told him we needed to talk about our options in the event that I fell pregnant. The day he came over, he told me he’d kick me down the stairs if he had to. I told him to get the fuck out.

The female cop got out of the car to talk to my friend, and I went inside the car to talk to the male cop, I remember not being able to explain my self properly, all I knew is that something was wrong , something bad has happend to me, hyperventilating I tried to explain the time line of events,

I tried collecting myself to text a friend to let them know where I was and what had happened, but I couldn't focus or coordinate myself. I have no idea how long I was in the washroom for. It couldn't have been for long, but what I can remember about that part of the night is that two people escorted me out the club through the back door away from my friends.

How the fuck did I get in this situation? I was working really hard not to get this fucked. I worked so hard to not be a whore. Does this act make me a whore? A slut? I am a whore. I am a slut. Why the fuck did I even talk to this guy. Why the fuck did I get myself into this situation. This situation sucks. Not knowing anything sucks. I hate this. I will never know what really happened.

I hope this gets out to someone in a similar situation, who doubts themselves because their partner never gives clear answers. I used to fight, but I have become a coward. I hope to fight again one day.

I woke up in the morning sore and covered in scrapes. My friends were all discussing the night before and my best friend said she couldn’t find me for like an hour and then she saw me coming out of the forest wearing pants that were way too big on me. She said I couldn’t even speak properly and I had stripes of blood on my cheeks. She immediately took me to take a morning after pill.

I don't know how to explain very well but I just feel like I wasn't me. I don't have any clear memories from that time. I ran away a week after that. I ran with a boy I went to a alternative school with almost 2 hours away. His mom & stepdad smoked k2 with us.

I went to the bathroom and threw up from nervousness. I cried and hyperventilated until I threw up again. I washed my face and put on my clothes. They reeked of cigarettes and alcohol. I check my phone and of course, it's dead. I leave the hotel, get on the next bus home, and cry some more to myself.

The When You're Ready Project is a community for survivors of sexual violence to share their stories and have their voices heard, finding strength in one another. When you're ready to share your story, we will be here.